All procurement and purchases shall be made in accordance with
the provisions of the Home Rule Charter and this chapter.
All procurement of equipment, materials, supplies and repairs
or services shall be documented as follows:
A. Expenditures
under $50 may be made from the petty cash account and shall be supported
by receipts. Purchases of common supplies and materials may be made
by controlled, open accounts maintained by local suppliers offering
the best terms and services, up to a monthly total not to exceed $875
with each supplier.
B. Expenditures
of $1,000 or more up to a maximum of $10,500 shall be authorized by
a standard form of purchase order signed by the Director of Finance
and approved by the City Manager.
Unless otherwise required by state law, other purchases and
contracts shall be made as follows:
A. In
an amount not exceeding $10,500, by the City Manager or his/her designee,
in the open market after such inquiry as he or she deems necessary
to ensure that the price or offer obtained is the most advantageous
to the City.
B. In
an amount from $10,500 and not exceeding $19,400 by the City Manager
or his/her designee, by solicitation of bids orally, by telephone
or in writing from at least three suppliers. Written tabulation of
solicitations made and quotations received shall be maintained on
file one year. For a purchase or contract exceeding $10,500, lack
of competition is permissible only when an emergency exists which
permits no delay because of the possibility of injury to life or destruction
of property or when only one source of supply is available and the
City Manager or Finance Director shall so certify. If an award is
made under the terms of this subsection, a report of such award, together
with a statement justifying the lack of competition, shall be made
to the City Council by the City Manager.
For equipment and supplies, not exceeding $19,400 in the Pennsylvania
State Cooperative Purchasing Program, the City Manager may purchase
from the contract without any further solicitation or invitation of
bids, unless it is known that lower prices are available elsewhere.
For purchases over $19,400, Council approval is needed to acquire
items through the state program.
Every contract shall contain a certification that no elected or appointed official of the City or any employee thereof has any direct or indirect financial interest with any person or other entity proposing to contract with the City which has not been disclosed as required by Home Rule Charter §
2-702B. This requirement shall also be made a part of any and all subcontracts.